There’s some flexibility around good cows that aren’t pregnant, depending on the philosphy of the ranch, but poor-productivity cows should be culled, livestock nutritionist Peter Vitti says.
High prices make cow culling decisions easier
Better Bunks and Pastures: There’s some flexibility around good cows that aren’t pregnant, but poor cows should be culled
Shrink the shrink in market beef calves
Better Bunks and Pastures: Decreasing shrink can have a significant effect on income and calf health
Decreasing shrink can have a significant effect on income and beef calf health, especially when cattle are worth so much money.
Good weaning programs for valuable calves are worth it
Better Bunks and Pastures: Less shrinkage is worth much more money at today’s calf prices
Less shrinkage is worth much more money at today’s calf prices, so good weaning programs for valuable beef calves are worth it.
Beef calf creep feeding pays good profits in 2025
Better Bunks and Pastures: With calf values high, creep feeding makes even more sense
Better rainfall has meant more feed on much of the Prairies, but creep feeding beef calves still pays well in 2025.
Good mineral-vitamin programs for beef cows drive successful reproduction
Better Bunks and Pastures: A breeder mineral is critical for beef cows during the breeding season
Cow-calf producers will want to prepare a breeder mineral program to be fed to beef cows during breeding season, then be ready to modify that program afterward based on actual grass conditions.
Accelerate milk replacer programs for higher heifer gains
Dairy Corner: Milk replacer is expensive, but feeding more still makes sense to grow larger, healthier heifers
Milk replacer is expensive, but feeding more still makes sense to grow larger, healthier heifers
Zinc works hard in the beef cattle mineral feeder
Better Bunks and Pastures: The mineral is part of more than 300 enzyme processes in cattle
Zinc is a part of 300 of the enzymes in a beef animal and is criticially important for hoof health, immunity and reproduction.
The five-minute tricks to identify good dry matter intake in dairy cows
Dairy Corner: Checking the condition of cows, and a quick look at the ration, can tell the story
Checking the animals’ condition, and a quick look at the ration, can tell the story of the dry matter intake (DMI) of dairy cows.
Give special attention to first-calved beef heifers
Better Bunks and Pastures: Getting heifers ready for their next pregnancy is the goal of a nutrition program specifically for them
Heifers that have calves for the first time need special attention, and getting them ready for their next pregnancy is the goal of a nutrition program specifically for them.
Well-balanced starch and forage levels make milk
Dairy Corner: The amount of starch in corn and barley silage can vary greatly between harvests
Starch levels in corn and barley silage can vary widely between harvests, so they need to be balanced in a dairy ration, nutritionist Peter Vitti says.
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